Sports
Shadowens signs on at Lake Land
Lake Land College women's basketball coach Dave Johnson carried two Effingham High School graduates on the roster of his most recent team, and that squad rewarded him with an impressive season.
Johnson hopes to have more help from another former Flaming Heart as recent EHS graduate Brittany Shadowens has chosen to play for the Lakers.
Standing an even six feet tall, Shadowens joins a club that went 21-9 a year ago with former EHS standouts Rachel Daugherty and Hannah Fish playing contributory roles.
Now, the All-Apollo Conference pick keeps the Hearts represented at Lake Land after the team snapped a three-year 20-win drought and finished third in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference despite playing many Division I opponents in the process.
"I chose (Lake Land) because they are a good team and will challenge me to get better," said Shadowens. "They also look like they have a lot of fun and get along. I would like to be a part of that."
Effingham head coach Jeff Schafer says Shadowens has the potential to succeed at the college level.
"Brittany has a lot to offer athletically," said the longtime EHS mentor. "She has tremendous upside and has not reached her basketball peak. She is a good shooter for a post player, but she is also hard to stop inside when she wants to be."
Shadowens is a three-time letterwinner at Effingham and was an all-tournament pick at both the Bob Kerans Holiday Girls Basketball Tournament in Newton and the Effingham Mid-Winter Tournament.
The daughter of Charlene Shadowens and Jim Shadowens led the team and rebounding and steals, while earning the most improved award. Shadowens will major in secondary education and participated in volleyball, softball, pep club and math club during her time at Effingham.
"I need to work on self-confidence and dribbling skills," said Shadowens when acknowledging the things she needs to work to become a successful college plaer.
"I need to use my left hand more for sure, but I think there are lots of things I can improve on."
Shadowens feels her strengths are rebounding and passing, and Schafer concurs.
"Brittany was one of the best passers on the team," said Schafer. "She'll need to improve her strength and conditioning to succeed at the next level. She's very capable of both.
"Coach Johnson's teams like to press and get up and down the floor. She can definitely play in that kind of system with a lot of work."
Dustin White can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 123 or dustin.white@effinghamdailynews.com.
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